ROMAN CAMEO

roman_cameo.jpg

"Cameo of Augustus – Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities | Louvre Museum." Site Officiel Du Musée Du Louvre. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.louvre.fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice.jsp?CONTENTcnt_id=10134198673225342&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICEcnt_id=10134198673225342&FOLDERfolder_id=9852723696500819&fromDept=false&baseIndex=7&bmLocale=en>.


This is the Cameo of Augustus. It was carved in the 1st century A.D. There are many elements that are incorporated in this cameo, including the eagles head, the phalerae (a set of discs used mainly for military decorations that go on the soldiers chest), and breastplate (an armor plate that protects the chest. Augustus is on the cameo. This is one of many portraits of Augustus. The base was added in 1785 by a goldsmith named Luigi Valadier. No one knows exactly why this cameo was made

CURRENT EVENTS

In Rome there is a very large art show going on that is getting a lot of attention. The art show is in Rome's Sant'Ivo alla Sapienza church. This art show is showing art from an artist named Caravaggio. One of the paintings hasn't been seen by the public for 100 years. The name of this painting is Caravaggio's portrait of Pope Paul V.


http://www.wgal.com/news/26825638/detail.html

ROMAN SOCIETY

In Rome there were social classes. There were only a few rich people and many poor people and slaves. Many poor Romans were either slaves or jobless. They were able to survive with support from government. the Roman government provided family support in many ways. One way was that fathers of 3 or more children received land from the government. Unmarried men over 20 and couples who had no children suffer financial and political penalties. This was designed to get the upper class to have larger families. Fathers had absolute power over the household. They owned their wife, children, slaves, and furniture. Wealthy women had a lot of independence. Most people, however, lived in poorly built houses. Many had no running water, no kitchens, and no toilets. Fires were frequent and fatal in houses because most houses were made of wood. Slavery was also very common in ancient Rome. almost every wealthy family owned slaves. about a third of Italy's people were slaves in 50 B.C. Some slaves were able to buy their freedom.